Sterling Agriculture

Wheat harvest in Otis, Yuma near completion

Journal-Advocate staff

Posted:
07/16/2013 01:35:40 PM MDT

Wheat harvest is wrapping up in the Otis and Yuma areas, as well as across southeastern Colorado, while it is still going strong in Haxtun.

Scott Kirkwood at Grainland-Haxtun said that the weekend was pretty slow for them because of moisture in the area, but that harvest had advanced to about 55 percent complete. Moisture content averaged 11.5 percent, test weight had improved a bit to an average of 59.5 pounds per bushel, protein was still good at 12.5 percent, and most yields were still in the 10 to 40 bushels per acre range.

A Haxtun wheat farmer only had 10 acres left to go but it had been too wet and tough to finish this weekend (after ¼ inch of rain) and he doubted they would be able to cut it yet today. Moisture content had dropped to eight percent, his yields were 12 to 15 bushels per acre in the continuous crop wheat, with summer fallow wheat yielding better at 30 to 35 bushels per acre. Test weight averaged 58 pounds per bushel.

Another Haxtun family farm was also holding off on harvest this morning but hoped to get in the field this afternoon. They had .15" of rain and the weather had been cool, cloudy and damp. They thought harvest was about 75 percent complete in the area, with their farm a little behind that pace. Yields had been 34 to 42 bushels per acre, test weights 54 to 61 pounds per bushel (widely ranging in the same field and sometimes in the same variety), and moisture content was 10 percent.

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An Otis wheat grower received .80" of rain on Friday and Saturday, and was able to harvest on Saturday but not on Sunday. He has about 80 acres left to harvest but thinks he will have to wait until tomorrow to get in the field.

Steve Klee at CHS-Yuma said harvest is about 85 percent complete for the area but that rain Saturday night and Sunday afternoon had really slowed things down. Rain amounts ranged from an inch to seven inches of rain near Eckley. Moisture content at Yuma averaged 11 percent, test weight was 60 pounds per bushel, protein content averaged over 13 percent, and yields reported were mostly around 25 bushels per acre.

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